What it means
A chatbot answers a question. An agent works toward a goal. Given a task such as "prepare a brief on this prospect", an agent decides what to look up, calls tools such as search or a CRM, reads the results, decides the next step and repeats until the task is done.
The tools are what make agents useful. Through connections such as MCP servers, an agent can read records, update systems and draft messages. The same connections are why agents need limits: clear permissions, logs and approval steps for anything that matters.
Why it matters for a business
Agents can take over multi-step work that used to need a person clicking through several systems, such as qualifying a lead or preparing a monthly report. The value is highest where the steps are clear but tedious. The risk is highest where a wrong action is costly, so most business agents start with drafts that a person approves.
A business example
Things to watch
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Give each agent only the tools and permissions its task needs.
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Keep a person approving actions that reach customers or move money.
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Log every tool call so you can see what the agent did and why.